Magnetic stirrer in a still



Feb 28, l967 E. B. PATTERSON ETAL, 3,306,829

MAGNETIC STIRRER 1N A STILL Original Filed July 29, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 llillJ INVENTOR.; EDWARD PANE/950W 10H/v n STEEL BY JoH/v .sm/wry ,9/.9/5

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ATTORNEY- Fell 23, 1967 E. B. PATTERSON TAL 3,306,829

MAGNETIC STIRRER IN A STILL original Filed July 29. 1965 2 Sheezts-Sheet 2 l ,.lIlIn//IIIIL United States Patent O 3,306,829 MAGNETIC STIRRER IN A STILL Edward B. Patterson, Haddonield, NJ., and John Y. Steel, Abington, and .lohn Stanley Bibie, Philadelphia, Pa., assignors to Arthur H. Thomas Company, Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Continuation of abandoned application Ser. No. 298,362, July 29, 1963. This application Apr. 27, 1966, Ser. No.

z Claims. (C1. 2oz- 175) This application is a continuation of copending application Serial No. 298,362, tiled July 29, 1963, and now abandoned.

This invention relates to a Hash evaporator, and more particularly, this invention relates to a ash ev-aporator wherein a means is provided to heat and agitate liquid disposed in a ilask and adapted to be distilled.

Flash evaporators have been proposed heretofore. The evaporators proposed heretofore suffer from a disadvantage in that they are inefficient at rapid transfer rates, The flash evaporator of the present invention overcomes this disadvantage of the evaporators proposed heretofore by increasing the efficiency and -rate of transfer wtih minimum vapor losses. This desirable object is attained by simultaneously agitating the liquid to be vaporized while introducing heat to the liquid by a novel structural interrelationship of apparatus.

The liquid to be vaporized is agitated by means of a magnetic member disposed within the liquid. The flask for such liquid and containing the magnetic member may be disposed within a bath of liquid, heated if necessary, which in turn is positioned on top of a magnetic stirrer and heater. The magnetic stirrer causes the magnetic member to rotate thereby agitating the liquid. Thus, it will be seen that the increased efficiency at high transfer rates may be accomplished in a manner which is simple, reliable and inexpensive. Little maintenance will be required since there are no movable joints or seals which must be maintained.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel ash evaporator.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a flash evaporator which is more efficient at higher transfer rates than those proposed heretofore.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a ash evaporator wherein the liquid to be evaporated may be subjected simultaneously to heat and agitation.

It is another object of the present invention to provide ya novel ash evaporator capable of operation at high eciency rates while being simple, inexpensive and reliable.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

For the purpose of illustrating the invention, there are shown in the drawings forms which are presently preferred; it being understood, however, that this invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown.

FIGURE 1 is an elevational view of the apparatus of the present invention, with portions shown in section for clarity of illustration.

FIGURE 2 is an elevational view of another embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention, with portions shown in section for clarity of illustration.

Referring to the drawing in detail, wherein like numerals indicate like elements, there is shown in FIGURE 1 a flash evaporator designated generally as 10.

The flash evaporator of the present invention includes a lbath 12 or other vessel having a bath medium 14, such as water, disposed therein. A vaporizing flask 16 is disposed within the water 14 below the surface level thereof. Flask 16 is provided with neck portions 18 and 20 which are tapered and provided with ground glass ICC joints at their free ends. Hereinafter, the neck portions 18 and 20 may be referred to as first and second neck portions, respectively.

The liquid to be vaporized or distilled is indicated at 22 within the flask 16. The liquid 22 was introduced into the flask 16 from an addition funnel 24. Funnel 24 is provided with a discharge portion 26 which telescopes into the neck portion 20 and forms a seal therewith. A manually operable stop cock 28 is provided on the funnel 24 above the discharge portion 26.

The above-described apparatus is supported on the upper surface of a magnetic stirrer and heater 30. In place of the magnetic stirrer and heater 30, a mantle and :a separate magnetic stirrer may be used, or other means of stirring and heating may be used. Magnetic stirrer and heater 30 is, per se, known to the art and commercially available from the Arthur H. Thomas Company, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The magnetic stirrer and heater 30 is provided with control knobs and the like for adjusting the temperature of the heater and for controlling rotation of a rotatably mounted magnet. The water 14 or other bath medium is provided along with the bath 12 to prevent direct contact between the flask 16 and the heating surface of the magnetic stirrer and heater 30 or its equivalent. The water 14 assists in transmitting heat to the liquid 22 in the flask 16.

Within the ask 16, and freely resting on the bottom surface thereof, there is provided a magnetic agitator 32. Agitator 32 preferably comprises a magnetic member, such as a magnetic core, surrounded by and encased within an inert plastic sheath. A suitable inert plastic sheath may be made, for example, from Teon. The plastic sheath prevents contamination of the liquid 22 and prevents the liquid 22 from attacking the magnetic member. Movement of agitator 32 Within the iiask 16 is responsive to rotation of the magnet in the magnetic stirrer to thereby agitate the liquid 22 simultaneously with the application of heat to the liquid 22.

A joint adaptor 34 is telescoped within the neck portion 18 with a ground glass joint therebetween. Adaptor 34 is provided with a Ahorizontally disposed wall from which depends'a curved tip 36. Said wall and tip 36 permit only vapor to escape upwardly through the adaptor 34. A tapered end 38 of a conduit 40 is telescoped within the upper end of adaptor 34 with a ground glass joint therebetween. All of the ground glass joints effect a hermetic seal.

The other end of conduit 40 terminates in a joint adaptor 42 having a tapered end telescoped into the neck portion 44 of a receiver 46 with a ground glass joint therebetweem Receiver 46 is disposed within a bath 48 or other suitable vessel containing cold water 49 or other means for chilling the receiver 46. Bath 48 is mounted on a suitable support 50.

The adaptor 42 includes a horizontally disposed Wall 52 from which `depends a curved -tip 54. Tip 54 is of su'liicient length to extend into the receiver 46 and has its outlet land offset with respect to the longitudinal axis of the neck portion 44. Hence, any vapors transmitted from ask 16 to receiver 46 by way of conduit 40 will be introduced directly into the receiver 46 and directed against a side wall thereof. Tip 54 may be made from .a flexible inert material such as polyethylene.

A hermetic seal is effected by a ground glass joint be- -tween the neck portion 44 and the tapered end of adaptor 42. Adaptor 42 is provided with an outwardly directed branch conduit 5S communicating with the interior of adaptor 42 immediately below the wall 52. Branch conduit 58 is coupled to the inlet side of a vacuum pump 62 by means -of conduit 60. Hence, it will be seen that the effect of pump 62 is communicated by the annular passage around the curved tip 54 into the receiver 46,

3 through tip 54, through conduit 40, through tip 36, through neck portion 18, to the space above the liquid 22in ask 16.

The operation of the llash evaporator is as follows:

A controlled amount of liquid will be introduced into the flask 16 from the funnel 24 by manually opening the stop cock 28. It will be assumed that the magnetic agitator 32 is disposed within 4the flask 16 as illustrated. The agitator 32 is easily introduced into the ask 16 by way of neck portion 18 prior to the assembly of the evaporator 10 as illustrated, The vacuum pump 62 will be turned on and likewise the magnetic stirrer and heater 10 will be turned on.

The rotating magnetic eld of the magnet of the stirrer and heater 30 will cause the magnetic agitator 32 to rotate thereby agitating the liquid 22. At the same time, the liquid 22 may be heated by heater 30 and/or by way of the bath medium 14. The liquid 22 will then vaporize with the resultant vapors Ibeing conveyed into the receiver 46 by way of conduit 40. With certain volatile solvents no heat need be added from the bath 12.

The vapors introduced into receiver 46 will be directed against a side wall thereof which is cooled by the water 49. Preferably, the temperature of water 49 is cold so that the vapors will immediately condense and form the liquid 56. The efficiency of the present invention and the high rate of transfer associated therewith will be 'readily apparent from the following.

A comparison test was run between the flash evaporator of the present invention and a commercially available ash evaporator. The liquid 22 was denatured ethyl alcohol. 250 milliliters of denatured ethyl alcohol were introduced from funnel 24 to ask 16. The temperature of water 14 was 38 C. and the temperature of water 49 wasl 6 C. The pressure on the inlet side of vacuum pump 62 was 711 mm. Hg. After twenty-tive minutes of operation under the above conditions, with the apparatus of the present invention, 245 milliliters of condensate 56 were collected in the receiver 46 with 5 milliliters of loss. It was noted that the -agitation of the denatured alcohol 22 by the agitator 32 was violent.

A comparison was run with a commercially available flash evaporator using a one-half hour period and identical pressure conditions. Only 170 milliliters of condensate was collected during the thirty minutes, while 80 milliliters had not as yet evaporated.

This demonstrates the relative speed of the apparatus of the present invention.

In FIGURE 2, there is illustrated another embodiment of the present invention designated generally as 10. The flash evaporator 10 is identical with ash evaporator 10 except as will be made clear hereinafter. Thus, corresponding structures are provided with corresponding numerals which are primed in lthe embodiment illustrated in FIGURE 2.

In flash evaporator 10', the right-hand end of conduit 40 terminates in a straight ow passage coupled to the neck portion 18 with a ground glass joint. Thus, it will be noted that the tip 36 of ash evaporator 10 has been eliminated in the tlash evaporator 10. This results in increased flow of the vapors for certain liquids to be vaporized or distilled.

The flash evaporator 10 is provided with a receiver 46 having iirst and second neck portions 70 and 72, respectively. The left-hand end of the conduit 40 terminates in a tapered portion for-ming a ground glass joint with the neck portion 70 and terminating in a curved tip which discharges vapors into receiver 46 at an acute angle with respect to the horizontal. The conduit terminates at its right-hand end in a portion cooperating with neck portion '72 with a ground glass joint therebetween. The conduit 60 is provided with a stop cock which may be selectively adjusted as desired. Otherwise, the flash evaporator 10 is identical with the flash evaporator 10'.

The present invention may be embodied in other speciic forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof and, accordingly, reference should be made to the appended claims, rather than to the foregoing speciiications as indicating the scope of the invention.

We claim:

1. Apparatus comprising a ask adapted to contain a liquid for distillation, a magnetic member disposed in said flask, unitary means for heating liquid in the flask and causing said member to agitate the liquid in the flask, a receiver, elongated conduit means for conveying vapors of said liquid being distilled from the ask to said receiver, -means in association with the receiver for cooling the receiver, and means for evacuating the receiver to assist transfer of vapors from the flask to the receiver, said flask being provided with first and second neck p0rtions, a vessel having an integral depending discharge portion, said depending discharge portion being telescoped into said second neck portion and sealed therebetween fby a ground glass joint, means for selectively controlling flow from said vessel through said second neck portion into said flask, said last mentioned means comprising valve means in said depending discharge portion, and said cond-uit means for conveying vapors of the liquid from the flask to the receiver being coupled to said first neck portion by a ground glass joint.

2. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said Vessel is of inverted conical shape.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,518,758 8/1950 Cook 259-108 2,522,529 9/1950 Miller et al 203--89 2,784,150 3/1957 Rose et al 202175 NORMAN YUDKOFF, Primary Examiner. F. E. DRUMMOND, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A APPARATUS COMPRISING A FLASK ADAPTED TO CONTAIN A LIQUID FOR DISTILLATION, A MAGNETIC MEMBER DISPOSED IN SAID FLASK, UNITARY MEANS FOR HEATING LIQUID IN THE FLASK AND CAUSING SAID MEMBER TO AGITATE THE LIQUID IN THE FLASK, A RECEIVER, ELONGATED CONDUIT MEANS FOR CONVEYING VAPORS OF SAID LIQUID BEING DISTILLED FROM THE FLASK TO SAID RECEIVER, MEANS IN ASSOCIATION WITH THE RECEIVER FOR COOLING THE RECEIVER, AND MEANS FOR EVACUATING THE RECEIVER TO ASSIST TRANSFER OF VAPORS FROM THE FLASK TO THE RECEIVER, SAID FLASK BEING PROVIDED WITH FIRST AND SECOND NECK PORTIONS, A VESSEL HAVING AN INTEGRAL DEPENDING DISCHARGE PORTION, SAID DEPENDING DISCHARGE PORTION BEING TELESCOPED INTO SAID SECOND NECK PORTION AND SEALED THEREBETWEEN BY A GROUND GLASS JOINT, MEANS FOR SELECTIVELY 